Welcome to Zeitgeist in MA. We share our observations of traveling the Tao. All these notes touch on the subjects of spirituality, psychology, healing, and self-empowerment.

Friday, January 20, 2017

On Depression

Why are we depressed? Maybe we struggle professionally, feel overturned by life's relentless demands, or are simply ill. Maybe our loved ones are not well. Whatever the reason might be, it is often our desire to avoid dealing with our depression because we don't want to face the fact that we have a problem. Also, often we get angry in those periods at others because it is so much simpler to blame our misery on somebody else.

The core issue with being depressed is that we don't feel the love, both within and from our environment. Anger outbursts or compulsive behaviors are ways to deflect the negative energy, at least for a short while, until the depression comes back with a vengeance. Addiction is the desire to forget that we are not loved, while anger outbursts is us lashing out at others for not loving us.

It hurts a lot to face the darkness inside, yet when we are one with it we in fact have a shot of transcending it. All escape mechanism only makes the problem worse. I have learned to deal with depressions by simply sitting the energy slump out. And if I have to go to work or meet people much against my inclinations, I simply let life's energies carry me through the day, and before I know it I can carry my own weight yet again.

Transference is a waste of my precious energy. I don't get much angry any more, not because I am suddenly enlightened, but rather because I now understand the psychological trick I only would be playing with myself. The addictive stuff - alcohol, sex, food - also has not lost its attractiveness on me, but I now understand that the bill to foot after the excess is over is only that much higher to bear.

Let the feelings come and let them go, they cannot catch us. When we are one with every feeling, no escape routes or scape goats are necessary. We can manage what's is going on inside of us just fine. Depression, what harm can you do now?